Office



(No Model.)

C. H. LOW.

DRIVE CHAIN.

No. 252,609. Patented Ja11.2,1882.

'UNITHH STATES PATENTA OFFICE.

CHARLES H. Low, or SANDWICH, ILLINOIS, AssIeNoH or oNnHALFTo J. PHHLPS ADAMS, or SAME PLAGE.

DRIVE-CHAIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 252,609, dated January 24, 1882.

Application tiled August 29, 1881. (No model.) l

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that LCHARLES H. Low, a citizen of the United States, residing' at Sandwich, in the county of De Kalb, in the State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and usef'nl Improvementsin Drive-Chains, which are fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents a plan view oftwo of my improved drive-chain links coupled together; Fig. 2, alongitudinal section ofthe same, taken on the line ww, Fig. '1; Fig. 3, a crosssection of the same at the coupling, taken on the line y y in Fig. l; and Fig. 4, an elevation showing the application of a drive-chain embodying my improvement.

My invention relates to drive-chains composed in whole or partot` detached links, and particularly to the chain known as the Ewart chain,7 upon which it is an improvement. In the Ewart chain the end bars, which couple with the hooks, are straight and of uniform size as well as the hooks, and this construction produces a certain stiffness in the chain, which prevents it from being used by crossing, so as to secure reverse motion, and therefore limits the application of this drive-chain to this extent. My present improvementis intended to obviatethisdifticulty and to adaptthe chain for use crossed, so as to secure reverse motion in the well-known way. n

The invention consists in providing the links with coupling-bars ofoval form longitudinally, and also iu the combination of links with such end bars with links also having coupling-hooks with enlarged or flaring openings at their ends, whereby a lateral rocking movement is permitted at the coupling.

Iwill proceed to describe one way in which I have carried out my invention practically, and the improvement which I desire to secure by Letters Patent'will then be pointed out detinitely in the claims.

In the drawings the links are shown ot' general form, like the well-known Ewart link.

The side bars, A, and thehook end bar, B, are the same as in the Ewart link, and do notrequire special description. One or both of the side bars are provided with notches or deprestrally and diminished in size slightly toward its respective ends, so as to give it an oval form in the direction of its length, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings. are provided with coupling-hooks D on the opposite end bars, which, in the main, are like the Ewart eouplinghooks; but the sea-t portion of the hook-that is, that portion lwhich makes the principal bearing for the coupling end bar-is cutaway somewhat at each end of the hook, as shown at d in Fig. 3 of the drawings, thereby gradually enlarging the open space within the hook from the center outward toward each end. Preferably this cutting away ofthe hook is on the arc of a circle, so as to make a curved seat, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. y

The coupling end bars are inserted in the hooks to couple the links together in the same way as in the Ewart chain. Obviously when the links are coupled together the construction above described permits a rocking motion laterally, so thatvthe links may be twisted with reference to each other to quite an appreciable extent. This capability of a twisting movementofthelinksenablesthechaintobe crossed, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, so as to secure reverse motion in` the well-known way with eross-bauds, and in this arrangement the chain will work with the usual flexibility and without binding, and thus tlie applcation'of this class of drive chains for practical purposes is considerably enlarged.

The cutting away of the hook is not absolutely necessary, for if the hook-opening be reasonably large a certain amount of movement in the direction mentioned will be permitted without enlarging the openings at the ends. The best and most satisfactory results will be obtained, however, by modifying the form of both hook and end bar, as shown and described. I donot wish to be understood, however, as limiting my invention tothe changed form of both. Neither do I limit myself to an end bar of circular form in cross-section, as

The links.

IOO

shown in the drawings, for the cross-section may be oval also, or some other form, and my improvement may also be applied to a dil'erent kind of coupling device from that shown and described in the drawings7 so that I do not wish to be understood as limiting the application of my improvement to such links as are used in the Ewart chain. It is also obvious that the end bar is not necessarily a true oval lengthwise. This form may be changed, provided always there is an appreciable enlargement ofthe cent 1al portion ofthe bar.

I do not here claim thehooks with flaring end openings as a separate device, or when used with coupling-bars of substantial uniform size, for this matter will he made the subject of a separate application.

Haring thus dcstribed my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is v l. In a. drive-chain, a. rectangular link provided with a coupling end bar of oval form lengthwise, substantially as and for the purpose set f'orth.

2. In a drive-chain, a coupling end bar on one link of oval form lengthwise, in combination with a coupling-hook on the adjacentlink cut away to provide flaring openings at the ends ofthe hooks, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

` CHARLES HpLOW.

Witnesses:

)HARLEs C. JONES,

E. G. COE. 

